Welcome to Our Youth Programs!

Mount Pleasant Reading Patrol

DATE: Every third Saturday of the month

TIME: 11 a.m. to 12 noon

LOCATION: Barnes & Noble, 1716 Towne Centre Way, Mount Pleasant

COST: Free

The Reading Patrol is a new program that builds a foundation of knowledge and trust for our youth and strengthens their relationship with the police department. Reading and literacy are key factors in school retention and graduation rates and the department believes that it is never too early to develop a lifelong love of reading. Our talented officers are building bonds with the youth of our community one book at a time. We want to preserve and build on that positive sentiment.

Registration will be taken in the order the emails are received. A confirmation email will be sent from Sgt Salata once your registration is complete.

The Mount Pleasant Police Department Summer Junior Safety Camp is designed to educate young people ages 5 to 10 on a variety of safety topics and to build positive relationships with the community.

The safety camp is free and runs for a one-week period. The safety topics will include: Fire safety, water safety, bike safety, animal safety, and more! Registration is limited to thirty (30) students per week.
For more information, contact Sgt. AJ Santos at asantos@tompsc.com or Sgt Matt Salata at msalata@tompsc.com or (843) 884-4176.

Cops & Kids Pizza Night

DATES: 2019 Dates TBD

TIME: TBD

LOCATION: TBD

COST: FREE for ages 12 and under

AGES: All ages welcome

The Mount Pleasant Police Department Cops & Kids Pizza Night is designed to build positive relationships between the police department and the community.

Join us for an evening of fun eating pizza, having your buddy cards signed, and interacting with our police officers.

DATES: Continuous

COST: Free

AGES: 3 - 14

The Cops & Kids Buddy Card program builds on the community outreach efforts of the Reading Patrol, Blue Light Bowling, and youth summer camps. The Buddy Card program allows children to interact with police officers in a positive manner. During the course of speaking with the officer(s), children can request the officer sign his or her Buddy Card. Once ten signatures from our real life heroes are collected the Buddy Cards can be redeemed at Town Hall for a prize!

The GOTCHA! Card Program seeks to highlight and reward positive youth behavior. The program operates under the notion that youth often associate being "caught" by police officers with engagement in negative behaviors. Instead, police officers participating in GOTCHA! will "catch" youth engaging in positive behaviors: being safe, respectful, or responsible.

The idea for the program was spearheaded by FTO Don Calabrese and was brought to fruition by Sergeant William Mauldin. The Mount Pleasant Police Department has partnered with area Chick-fil-A's to bring the program to the community. When a child is caught by a Mount Pleasant Police Officer and receives a GOTCHA! card, the card may be redeemed at either Mount Pleasant Chick-fil-A location for a free icedream cone!

The Mount Pleasant Police Department Rising Star Award recognizes middle school students from each middle school and one high school student every academic quarter. The students that are nominated will have exhibited excellence in one or more of the following categories: community service; integrity/school discipline; leadership; or self-improvement and/or overcoming obstacles. The purpose of this program is for police officers to make connections with youth by rewarding them for the positive contributions they make to society and for their own self accomplishments.